


4 Page Letter

by LKChoi



Category: SHINee
Genre: Fluff, M/M, military life, minkey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 12:38:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20600918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LKChoi/pseuds/LKChoi
Summary: Minho receives a letter from Kibum





	4 Page Letter

**Author's Note:**

> A glimpse of how military life has been like for Minho and Key. 
> 
> aka
> 
> Minho misses Key and its cute

“Fuck I’m tired,” a soldier complained, taking off his sweaty shirt and tossing it onto the floor.

Minho sat on his bed with a large bottle of water. After quickly removing the cap, he put it to his lips and tossed his head back, allowing the cool sensation to slide down his throat with every sip he took. When he was done, he let out a relieving sigh, then placed the bottle on the short wooden table beside his bunk.

“Yeah,” he agreed, “It was a good workout.”

His bunkmate gave him a look of disbelief.

In the short time Minho had been stationed in his unit, Seung-jin had learned that there was nothing that could stop Minho once his blood got pumping. Tired for most soldiers meant that they had been worked to the brink of fainting and all they wanted to do was drink and sleep. Tired for Minho meant that he was just getting started and when do we get to the real work.

No wonder why he had survived over ten years as an idol. The military life must be child’s play in comparison.

“As if,” spat Seung-jin, “If Sargent Park hadn’t kicked you off the training ground, you would have run the course ten more times if it was possible.”

“Maybe,” Minho shrugged with an innocent smile. “We’ll never know now.”

His roommate shook his head and turned towards the bathroom, stepping out of the rest of his clothes before disappearing behind the door.

Suddenly, the door of their room swung open and hit the wall with a crash, startling Minho and making his roommate curse and reemerge angrily from the bathroom naked.

“What the fuck?”

It was a younger member of their squad, a kid who had freshly turned 21 when he was sent to fulfill his national duty. He was young, gung-ho, and full of idealistic ideas of becoming a badass soldier like in the movies. Needless to say, delivering mail and running stupid errands for his hyungs wasn’t part of his idea of duty.

“Ya Jae-hyuk,” Seung-jin shouted, “can you try to fucking knock next time?”

“Aye, I’m just bringing excitement to this life plastered in gray and shit green. Sorry hyung. I won’t do it again.”

It was evident from his sarcastic tone that his apology was shit. Just as he had done every other day, he proceeded to ignore Seung-jin’s complaint.

“Hey, can you just put that away?” Minho asked awkwardly, referring to his roommate’s dangling genitals.

Seung-jin grinned and folded his arms.

“Don’t feel so threatened in the presence of a real man Minho.” He gloated. “The girls at home call me the Beast of Busan.”

Jae-hyuk snickered.

“If that beast is a pussy then I get the name.”

Seung-jin threatened him with a shaky fist and he pretended to be afraid.

“Disrespectful little bastard,” he cursed before retreating back into the bathroom.

Minho just shook his head and laughed.

He was admittedly worried about what it would be like to be stationed on a base with too much testosterone and tension. He assumed that people would pick a fight with him purely because they assumed an idol would bitch out and take it. Much to Minho’s dismay, that did, in fact, happen. Thankfully, the incident was diffused by their captain and never made it to netizens. Funnily enough, that person was the man who was currently taking a shower in their shared bathroom.

By the way, Minho won that fight, hence why they got along so well now. You could say that he and Seung-jin subverted each other’s expectations.

“You’ve got more fan mail.” Jae-hyuk informed Minho, handing him a husky stack of envelopes. “Must be good to be an idol.”

Minho took the mail in his hands, shuffling through until he reached the particular letter he was waiting for.

“The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.” Minho cautioned. “Trust me. I wouldn’t wish this life on even my worst enemy.”

“Oh? Goody-two-shoes Minho has enemies?”

“Aye. Watch it. Show respect for your hyung.”

“Yeah yeah whatever.”

Jae-hyuk waved off his weak attempt at imposing his seniority and walked away, leaving Minho alone with his mail and pulling the bedroom door shut behind him.

Without hesitation, Minho sat the rest to the side.

There were so many of them spread across the bed beside him now. Some had heart stickers and others had names and addresses in foreign languages. Some would probably say “take care Oppa” while the others held questionable messages that implied their senders needed serious mental health treatment. There was one or two in there that he knew came from close friends and family, which he planned to prioritize over the rest.

However, this letter carefully encased in the most unassuming and professional envelope was one he found himself anticipating the most. Cautiously, he ripped off one edge of the envelope and pulled the thin sheet of paper out of it between his fingers. He haphazardly discarded the encasing and opened the folded paper.

Minho smiled immediately. That delicate penmanship, the signature at the bottom, the nonchalant tone of the words written throughout. Without a doubt, this was Kibum’s letter.

One would assume that being drafted together would lead to many chances to be around each other. However, the chances of actually being placed in the same unit were slim. Also, how a soldier’s military life played out was different for every individual. In their case, Key ended up performing concerts and did light duty, as opposed to Minho’s preferred hardcore combat training and involvement with recreational sports.

There was no crossing each other’s paths from one training to another. There were no secret stow-away missions while their superiors slept. Different units. Busy schedules. Constant monitoring.

When Minho sat on the thought, he realized that this kind of lifestyle was painfully familiar. It was idol life under a different color palette. Tight sequence traded in for loose camo. Rhinestone neon swapped for fitted gray. They were used to the scrutiny, working until sweat dripped from their brows, and the scarce time to simply fall back into themselves in solidarity and peace.

Yet they made it through the suffering, hard work, loss, and triumph. Beyond the cameras, the expectant eyes of fans, and observance of their managers; Minho and Key had found a way to be together.

Just like butterfly kisses shared in the back of the practice room. Just like those warm embraces at the dorm when the rest were asleep. Just like those secret rendezvous at Kibum’s apartment when Minho was supposed to be on his way to a shoot.

Every letter was precious.

Minho sprawled across his bunk with the letter in his hands, resting on his elbows as he absorbed the content.

As always, it started with an uncreative “Hey Minho”. Key ran down the basics first. How he was doing, his health, how exhausting it was to be the celebrity of his unit.

Minho nodded on that note.

_Relatable._

He went on to mention some confrontation he had with a guy who didn’t know who he was and suspected him of receiving special treatment from their superiors. Kibum was more offended at the lack of recognition than he was of the accusation.

_Of course, I’m special. I’m Kim mother-fucking Kibum._

Key would honestly never say that. In spite of his diva persona, he was actually very humble. Still, Minho chuckled, imagining Key venting to him about it in the kitchen while eating a Greek yogurt and granola mix as Minho sat across the counter listening.

The situation never escalated. Key easily clapped back at the guy for being a jealous slacker. It was a unanimous opinion by the unit. Key happened to be the one bold enough to say it seeing as the guy clearly underestimated the Almighty Key.

Minho was proud of him. That assertiveness was one of the things he admired most about him. He was also too fearfully familiar with Kibum’s wrath.

_I almost feel bad for the guy._

There was some ranting in the letter as well. Key went off about Taemin’s latest activity and how they didn’t raise their son to be a hoe. He complained that they couldn’t leave him alone for a second because for the third time this year, he had to replace another lost phone.

Minho laughed aloud. He’d seen the videos and photos too. In fact, there were some Taemints in his unit. That lead to some annoying and questionable inquiries. Minho had to nip that mess in the butt by waving one guy off and threatening another.

Minho imagined the surprised noises Key made in reaction to some of the content. But he suspected that in spite of that, Kibum was just as proud and the first thing he would ask Taemin in a letter is if he was eating well.

Kibum went on to talk about Jinki, whom he had the surprise of seeing at one of his performances. The two greeted each other with hugs and managed to get some time to talk.

Minho released a sigh of relief. Jinki had been sleeping better. The grind of military life revitalized his spirit and he was doing much better mentally.

“Hey, “

Minho was startled by the voice of his roommate. In the time he spent immersed in Kibum’s lengthy letter, Seung-jin had finished his shower and got dressed in a lazy white shirt and a pair of camouflage cargos.

Minho’s arms had cramped up from resting on his elbows, so he pushed himself up and swung his legs around to sit on the side of his bunk, facing Seung-jin.

“Letter from a girlfriend?” Seung-jin teased, “You looked like a teenage girl writing in her diary.”

“Shut up,” Minho fussed as he was laughed at. “So, what’s up?”

“Some of us are going to sneak off and have a drink. You comin’?”

“I warned you guys about that.” Minho lectured. “One of these days, your luck is gonna run out.”

“So, that’s a no?”

“Yeah,” he replied. “Not worth the trouble or the scandal that would stick to me if I ever got caught with you idiots.”

“Pussy,” Seung-jin spat. “But no, I get it. I’ll just catch you later.”

“Okay.” Minho smiled as they fist-bumped.

Seung-jin walked away and grabbed a hoodie off his bunk, closing the door behind him as he left Minho to his musings.

Minho sighed.

The day’s work had gotten to his muscles and they ached as he laid back down. He still needed a shower and there was a stack of mail awaiting his attention. Yet all he had the capacity to do was cling to the paper in his hands and read the final words written there:

_Truthfully, I’m tired Minho. I wish we could have escaped our enlistment just a little while and ran away somewhere unfamiliar. Now, sitting in this room and writing you this letter is my only refuge. It’s not so bad though. At least I know that you are near. If I ever needed help, you’d come running across the base like an idiot. Nothing would register in your mind. You would just come running. That’s why I love you. Yeah, I said it! Not saying it again though. Just know that when all of this is said and done, military role-play is the last thing I would want to try in the bedroom lol._

_Take care of yourself over there. If I don’t get a letter back soon then I’ll snipe you._

_Love Bumkey_

Minho quietly laid the paper down and closed his eyes. He wished the same could come true right now.

He imagined stowing away in the middle of the night and taking off in one of the military jeeps. Kibum’s laughter rung in his head, his uncut hair matted against his soft face by the wind. He imagined the sun burning into forever as the dirt road in front of them led them into everything and nothing at the same time. He imagined the road being bumpy and the nights being cold, but finding warmth and security in each other’s arms.

Minho smiled as he continued to daydream. The pain in his body faded as his lids grew heavier and the possibilities in his dream expanded into imaginative stories. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep, curled up in a ball with Kibum’s letter clutched tightly in his hand.


End file.
